Cast cutter



JY 25, l939- E, J. JOHNSON 2,157,212

CAST CUTTER Filed Sept. 16, 1958 Patented July 25, 1939 UNITED STATESPATENT OFFICE CAST CUTTER 2 Claims.

'Ihe invention relates to a cast cutter and more especially to a plasticcast remover.

The primary object of the invention is the provision of a device of thischaracter, wherein surgeons, hospital attendants, doctors or others willbe `able to remove plaster casts from the limbs or any part of the bodyof a person without liability of injury to such person or causingdiscomfort during such task, the device being susceptible of adjustmentto conform to the thickness of the cast.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a device of thischaracter, wherein the construction theref enables quick and easyremoval of a cast when applied to a person, being devoid of causing painor injury when such cast is removed.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a device of thischaracter, which is simple in its construction, susceptible of easy andquick adjustment, maintained in adjusted position, convenient for easyhandling, thoroughly reliable and ecient in operation, strong, durable,and inexpensive to manufacture.

With these and other objects in view, the n- Vention consists in thefeatures of construction, combination and arrangement of parts as willbe hereinafter more fully described, illustrated in the accompanyingdrawing, which discloses 30 the preferred embodiment of Vthe inventionand pointed out in the claims hereuntol appended. In the accompanyingdrawing: Figure 1 is a side elevation of the device constructed inaccordance with the invention shown in position for the cutting andremoval of a plastic cast.

Figure 2 is a view similar to Figure 1 partly in section showing thedevice in an adjusted or shifted position for the cutting operationthereof.

Figure 3 is a top plan view of the device.

Figure 4 is a fragmentary bottom plan View.

Figure 5 is a detail plan View of a setting disk employed in the device.

Figure 6 is a fragmentary sideelevation of the i5 rack stem forcooperation with the disk.

Similar reference characters indicate corresponding parts throughout theseveral views in the drawing.

Referring to the drawing in detail, A designates i0 generally the devicewhile B denotes generally a portion of a plastic cast, as applied to ahuman being, to be removed in the use of such device.

VThe device A comprises an arm I0 angled in the direction of the planeof a fulcrum extension 5 I I thereof. This extension II carries a crosshead I2 rounded at its lowermost side to form a fulcrum I3, the roundedfulcrum being serrated, as at I4, for gripping purposes.

(Cl. 12S-305) The extension I I is provided with a slot I5 extendingvertically therethrough and accommodating arack stem I 6 of a cutterblade I'I having its beveled cutting edge I8 at substantially rightangles to the stem 6. The toe and heel portions of the back edge of theblade Il are rounded, as at I9 and 20, respectively, so as to avoidsharp corners to such blade. 'Ihe stem is formed with a toothed rack 2|engageable by a keeper or latching disk 22 loosely tted onto a headedset screw 23 which is threaded into a socket 24 provided in theextension II and opening through the upper side thereof. This disk 22 isformed with a notch 25 providing a clearance for the toothed rack 2|when registering therewith while on the turning of the said disk 22 itcan be brought into latching engagement with selected teeth of the rack2I and in this fashion holding the blade I1 in adjusted parallelrelation to the extension II on the arm I 0. The .blade II is setcomparable with the thickness of the plaster cast B to be successfullycut and removed from an applied position on a human being.

Threaded into the extension II at one side thereof is a set screw 26engageable with the stem I 6 for securing it in a fixed position afteradjustment of the blade I'I. The set screw 23 holds the disk 22 fast onthe turning thereof for either clearing the rack or engaging therewith.

The arm I0 is provided with a handle 21 for manual manipulation of thedevice in its use for the cutting and removing of a plaster cast inapplied condition to a person.

What is claimed is:

1. A device of the character described comprising an arm, an extensionon said arm, the latter being angled relative thereto, a rounded fulcrumcross head on the extension, a cutting blade substantially parallel withthe extension and slidably fitted therewith, a rack forming a part ofthe cutting blade, a latching disk fitted on the extension andreleasably engaging said rack, means for holding the disk in engagingand disengaging positions, and means for locking the blade in itsadjusted position.

2. A device of the character described comprislng an arm, an extensionon said arm, the latter being angled relative thereto, a rounded fulcrumcross head at the outer end of the extension and serrated, a cuttingblade parallel with the extension and slidably fitted therewith, a rackforming a part of the cutting blade, a latching disk adjustably fittedon the extension and engaging and disengaging said rack, a set screwfitted with the extension and holding the disk in a Xed position, and aset screw holding the blade in adjusted position.

EDWARD J. JOHNSON.

